Charles e



(No Model.)

0. E. PIERCE.

LOCK CIRCUIT CLOSER.

Patented Nov. 9,1897.

lulll mm a I a INVENTOR ATTQRNEYS.

vation of a modification by which the inven- UNITED STATES PATENT Error...

CHARLES E. PIERCE, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

LOCK-CIRCUIT CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,335, dated November 9, 1897.

Application filed July 2, 1896. Serial No. 597,838. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GHARLEs E. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strikes and Keepers to Looks and Bolts for Doors and Vindows to Dwellings, Stores, Banks, and other Places, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an electric alarm which will be operated when an attempt is made to force the lock of a door.

In attaining this end I employ a framepiece carrying two normally disconnected contact-points and a lever movable to engage the contact-points and thereby close the circuit. The device is placed in such a position that the lever will be rocked by the bolt of the look when excessive pressure is applied to the lock.

The invention consists in such features of construction and combination of parts as will be fully described hereinafter and then defined-in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the frame for carrying the lever and contacts. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the frame. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the lever. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the contact-points. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the frame with the lever and contacts attached. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same, the view also showing the electrical circuit. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the alarm attached to the keeper of a night-latch. Fig. 10 is front eletion is adapted to a mortise-lock, the strikeplate of such lock being removed. Fig. 11 is a reduced front view showing the strike-plate in position. Fig. 12 is a view of a modification by which the invention is applied to a sliding bolt and keeper, and Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation on the line 13 13 of Fig. 12.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, the frame has an arm 14, adapted to lie against the casement of the door. The arm ll has a transversely-elon gated outer end-15, the ends of which are perforated to receive screws by which the frame is held to the easement. The frame also has a plate 16, disposed at an acute angle to the arm 14 and adapted to lie against the rear side of the latch-keeper 17. Fixed to one side of the plate 16 is a spring-contact 18, from which an electrical connection 19 passes. Fixed to the opposite side of the plate 16 is a spring-contact 20, passing over the free end of the contact 18 and insulated from the plate 16. In connection with the contact 20 is a conductor 21. The plate 16 is provided at a point opposite the arm 14 with two lugs 22, whereon is fulcrumed a lever 23. One arm of the lever normally extends along the inner side of the plate 16 and beneath the contacts 18 and 20, so that when said arm is rocked outward from the plate it will force the contact 18 to engage the contact 20 and to close the circuit of which the contacts form a part. The other arm 241: of the lever 23 eX- tends in the same general direction as the face of the keeper 17, againstwhich the bolt of the latch engages. This face of the keeper may be provided on its inner side with an indentation 24E, affording a space in which the arm 24 of the lever 23 may move when operated. The curved arm of the lever 23 is normally engaged by the bolt of the latch. When the door is sprung, as by a jimmy, the lever 23 will be rocked and close the circuit of the contacts 18 and 20, thereby operatin g an alarm 25 or any other electrical device.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 10 and 11 a U -shaped frame 26 is let into the easement 27 and secured by bolts or otherwise behind the strike-plate 28. Fulcrumed in the frame 26 is a lever 29 similar to the lever 23, and therefore serving to press the contacts 30 and 31 (see Fig. 10) into engagement with each other. One arm of the lever passes under the contacts 30 and 31, and the other arm extends outwardly to a point adjacent to one of the openings in the strike plate, which opening receives either the latch or bolt of the look. A casing 32 is preferably secured within the frame 26 so as to cover the contacts and the greater portion of the lever, as shown in Fig. 11. The casing 32 has an opening through which the outwardly-projecting arm of the lever 29 extends. In Fig. 10 the strike-plate 28 and casin g 32 are removed, while Fig. l'l'shows these parts in position, Fig. 11, which is on a smaller scale, showing the casing 32 or hiding all parts excepting the operating-arm of the lever 29. Upon fol'cingadoorequipped with this form of my invention the lever 29 will be rocked to close the circuit, as before explained.

Figs. 12 and 13 show the invention applied to a simple sliding-bolt latch. This latch has a bolt-plate 33, with eyes in which the bolt 3% slides. The keeper 35 is juxtaposed to a frame similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 9. The part 15 of this frame is bolted to the easement of the door, while the plate 1G carries contacts 18 and 20. The lever 23 has its operating-arm elongated to project into the keeper and is actuated by the outward forcing of the bolt 34. This engages the contacts 18 and 20 and closes the circuit of the conductors 19 and 21.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a bolt and its keeper, of a lever fulcrumed on the keeper and engaged by the side of the bolt as the bolt moves laterally upon the forcing of the door, and two contacts carried by the support and normally disconnected with each other, the contacts being engaged and connected by the movement of the lever, substantially as described.

2. A circuit-closing device for electrical burglar-alarms, the device having a support, a lever fuleru med on the support and adapted to be engaged by the side of the belt of a lock as the bolt moves laterally upon the forein g of the door, and two contacts carried by the support and normally disconnected from each other, the contacts being engaged and con neeted by the lever as the lever swings, substantially as described.

3. An alarm for locks, the alarm having a support, a member pivoted on the support and adapted to be engaged by the bolt of a look as the bolt moves laterally upon the forcing of the door, and two contacts carried by the support and adapted to be engaged by said piv oted member whereby to operate the alarm, substantially as described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. PIERCE.

\V itnesses:

WM. RANDELL, L. A. RANDELL. 

